One of Ethiopia's best-read non-government weekly newspapers has shut down and three of its senior staff have fled the country. The editors of Addis Neger say they have faced a government campaign of intimidation and black propaganda.

The closure of the Amharic-language newspaper, known for its lively discussion of political issues, comes as campaigning heats up in advance of next May's parliamentary election.

In a news release, the paper's editors blamed their decision to close on what they called "another crackdown on free speech and freedom of the press in Ethiopia".

The Paris-based press freedom watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, condemned the "climate of fear" prevailing in Ethiopia. It says the spectre of the media and opposition crackdown that followed the disputed 2005 election is resurfacing.